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ADHD in the News - October 10, 2013

A weekly news digest** from the National Resource Center on ADHD: A Program of CHADD

EEG Can Tell One Type of ADHD From Another (MedPage Today, October 10, 2013)

"Brain wave patterns from an electroencephalogram (EEG) were able to differentiate between two subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers found. Teens ages 12 to 17 were asked to perform tasks on a computer that involved perceiving a visual stimulus that would then trigger brain regions involved in decision making, which in turn led to physical action -- pressing a button, according to Ali Mazaheri, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar at University of California, Davis, and colleagues who published the study online in the journal Biological Psychiatry..." Full Story

"Using a common test of brain functioning, UC Davis researchers have found differences in the brains of adolescents with the inattentive and combined subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and teens who do not have the condition, suggesting that the test may offer a potential biomarker for differentiating the types of the disorder..." Full Story

"Up to two-thirds of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) find their disorder persists into adulthood yet only a small proportion of adults ever receive a formal diagnosis and treatment, research suggests...Dr Esther Sobanski investigates the pharmacological management of adult ADHD at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. “In contrast [to the 3-4% prevalence rate], diagnostic prevalence is below 0.5%, indicating that a majority of cases go undiagnosed and untreated,” she said..." Full Story

New Study Holds Additional Support for Benefits of Stimulant Use in ADHD (Psychiatric Times, October 4, 2013)

"Emerging evidence adds to the growing support that stimulant medication may have benefits beyond that of improving symptomology. A newly published qualitative literature review found stimulants may provide neuroprotective effects for children with ADHD..." Full Story

Are standardized tests leading to more ADHD diagnoses? (Deseret News, October 8, 2013)

"In their forthcoming book “The ADHD Explosion and Today’s Push for Performance,” Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and his colleague UC Berkeley economics professor Richard Scheffler, examine what is behind the diverging rates of ADHD in states across the country. Their conclusion: a driving factor behind these trends is state education systems..." Full Story

Drug May Improve Driving Skills in Adults With ADHD (Medscape, October 9, 2013)

"Atomoxetine, the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) approved for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), may provide additional benefits to adult patients, including improved driving skills. At the 26th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress, lead author Esther Sobanski, MD, from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Central Institute of Mental Health at the University of Heidelberg in Mannheim, Germany, presented results from a study published recently in European Psychiatry..." Full Story

October Programs Spread the Message of Hope (Psychiatric Times, October 7, 2013)

"October is an active month for promoting public awareness of psychiatric illnesses and social programs that offer hope to those affected by mental illness. Among the national initiatives: Mental Illness Awareness Week and National Depression Screening Day®...International OCD Awareness Week...ADHD Awareness Month (and Week)...National Bullying Prevention Month... National Domestic Violence Month..." Full Story